Munich report says Europe must be bolder and less dependent on US

Europe has reached a painful realisation that it must be more assertive and more militarily independent from an authoritarian US administration that no longer shares a commitment to liberal democratic norms, the Munich Security Conference report says. The document sets the scene for an ideological confrontation at the high-level annual meeting, which starts on Friday.

The turning point came after a speech by the US vice-president, JD Vance, in which he claimed European elites were suppressing free speech and “opening the floodgates” to mass migration. Since then, European leaders and the Trump team have clashed over issues including US pressure on Ukraine to make territorial concessions to Russia, threats to seize Greenland, and a range of protectionist measures from tariff barriers to inward investment bans.

Vance is not expected in Munich this year, but the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and a congressional delegation are due to attend.

United States, Munich

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